Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1887-03-24
THE PENITENTIARY.
REGULAR MONTHLY MEETING OF THf
BOARD OF DIRECTORS, BEING HELD.
Some Proposed Changes-A Talk With Prssldsn
Howard on the Convict Labor Sys-
TEN "A Remedy.

The Board Of Directors of the Peniten-
tiary held their regular monthly meeting
Yesterday and transacted some business,
among which was the letting of the con-
tract for furnishing beef to the institution
for six months to A. Wiedebusch, Oh
Moundsville. Bids were received for fur
nishing coal for the next year, but on ae-
count of the natural gas strike in Mounds
Vile and the possibility that 1t
may be used instead Of coal, the matter OF
opening the bids was laid over untii the
next monthly meeting.
President H. NJ. Howard and j. M. Col
Inns of The Board, came up to the city last
evening and during a talk with them 1t
was learned that the matter of modifying
the contract with the Webster Wagon
Company will come up at to-day's meeting
and will, no doubt, be acted upon. Last
Fall the Webster Wagon Company an
nounced to the Board that 1t would
have to modify their contract by taking
n mart of the convicts off their hands, or
thew would be compelled to throw up the
contract and forfeit their bond. The
Board, not desiring to take the matter IN
their own hands, had the Legislature pass
a law authorizing them to modify the con-
tract az desired, which is to reduce the
force from one hundred to fifty hands.
This course was thought by the Board to
be the best, considering the circumstances,
and it undoubtedly was. This order OF
things will 90 into effect the first OF April,
but the contract does not expire until
1888, when, it is said, the wagon company
will not renew its contract, rs 1t has ABOUT
{, 900 wagons now on hand.
Other matters were discussed yesterday,
among which was the effect the bill passed
by Congress allowing no Federal prisoner to
be let out by contract, will have among the
inmates of the penitentiary. The new
punishment of refractory prisoners oil
handwriting them to the outside OF their
cell doors during the hours OF work, which
was suggested in the Penitentiary lnvestigat,
ing Committed report, was adopted as an
experiment. II it is found to work well
it will become a permanent rule.
In speaking of the contract labor sys-
tenn President Howard said:
1.-THE convicts in the ~penitentiary
should be used for the good of the State
in general, and it could easily be done, in
my opinion. First let us take for eX-
ample the large number of desks used in
the 5000 schools of the State every year,
which are nearly if not all purchased out
side of the State. These could easily be
manufactured right at the peniten-
tiary if the necessary machinery were
put in, and it wouldn't amount
to much. The wood could all be secured
| right here in our own State rs also could
the iron. The desks, too, could he fur
nished for at least halfthe amount paid for
them. Then again, all the blankets used
in our State institutions could be woven ut
the penitentiary at a greatly reduced cost,
all the stoves used could be manufactured
almost half again rs cheap as they are
purchased, and many other things could
he manufactured that would be consumed
by the State, and the saving would he
great all around, whilesuch q system would
employ all the convicts and do away with
the contract labor system, and ut the same
time make the penitentiary self-sustaining,
without injury to merchants or working
men. OF course to accomplish this
the Legislature would have tn give us
some money and pass q law compelling
all State institutions not manufacturing
their own products to purchase these
goods. The outlay would soon be returned
ten-fold, and better articles would be pro-
duced. A few acres of land might also be
secured, which, titled by ~cOnvicts detailed
for that duty, would produce enough corn
to run the institution from year to
year. If n person sits down and
thinks of these things he will soon see how
easily this condition of things may be
brought about. We cannot keep the.pris-
Oners in idleness, for where is the money
to come from 10 maintain the institution.
II some OF our State solOns would take up
this question and work it up to a success
full termination they would be doing some
thing that would reflect credit upon them
selves and result in financial benefit to the
State
The gentlemen both stated that they
were unaware who would be appointed to
succeed Mr.. Gallaher on the Board. They
20 TO M%Oundsville this morning and will
return to the city this evening. Mr.. How
ards idea, which is also shared ny Mr..
Collins, is a good one and highly plausible.
Let it be considered.